I wish I'd gotten pictures b/c words cannot adequately describe how goofy it looks to my American eyes. Unfortunately, or fortunately really, the season was all of a week long, and I thought I had more time, so I missed my chance. Thankfully, I can google for other people's pictures.
How they do elections in Misawa:
Starting at 8am every morning for a week and ending at about 6pm, supporters of candidates drive around in vans with loudspeakers. They always have a high pitched woman doing the speaking, but men drive and wave out the window. I of course have no idea what they're saying, but I know enough to know they're using exceedingly polite language.
On major intersections, and major is a relative term here, men in matching uniforms stand waving and bowing while someone yells something into a megaphone. Again, I have no idea what they're saying, but I'm sure they're being polite about it. I really wish I could find a picture of these because the uniforms are so entertaining. Picture a jumpsuit like you'd see a mechanic or prisoner wearing, in bright colors, with sashes. Then picture that bowing, waving, and grinning broadly.
At a couple places around town, there were boards with pictures of all the candidates. There were no personal signs in anyone's yard (which don't really exist, anyway), no billboards, nothing but these official (I'm assuming) boards. There were two women out of about 15 candidates.Are you wishing the American election season was equally short and painless?
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